Sri Lanka: Cyclone Ditwah - Situation Report No. 11 (As of 3 April 2026)

This report is produced by the Office of the Resident Coordinator Sri Lanka in collaboration with humanitarian partners and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. It covers the period from 20th March to 03rd April 2026.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Over 291,000 people have been reached by the Humanitarian Priority Plan (HPP) response to date, implemented by 68 partner organizations across 25 Districts. A majority the people reached are female and 5200 are Persons with Disabilities. The 5W online dashboard serves as a repository for all response interventions.

• HPP district focal points for increased area-based coordination are newly appointed in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kegalle and Kandy.

• Displacement has declined from peak levels; however, more than 149,000 people remain with host families or at other locations. The number of safety centres has further reduced to 29, hosting 800 families in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kegalle Districts.

• Tent-based camps are being established or planned in Badulla, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya. Sustained efforts are required to ensure that remaining temporary displacement sites meet minimum humanitarian standards, while a clearly articulated exit strategy from camp-like settings and established safety centres is needed to prevent protracted displacement.

• The most vulnerable, including estate communities and those relying on informal livelihoods, landholding or housing, remain disproportionally impacted and may remain outside some official assistance schemes.

• Partners are increasing support to the National Building Research Institute (NBRI), which operates at capacity due to the high volume of assessments required, resulting in delays in hazard verification and site clearance.

• Global supply chain disruptions and rising fuel and energy prices, driven by the Middle East conflict, risk placing pressure on Sri Lanka’s economy and household welfare, including for those still recovering from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. The HCT is monitoring the situation and has started preparing mitigation measures.

• Prolonged heat wave and dry conditions across Sri Lanka during the inter-monsoon period are affecting recovery from Cyclone Ditwah by increasing the likelihood of power outages due to reduced hydroelectricity generation, as well as reducing water for consumption and sanitation in safety centres.

• Out of the required funding of US$35.3 million to implement the HPP, US$23.4 million has been pledged or received to date. Underfunded sectors remain Health, Agriculture, Early Recovery and Nutrition.

• At the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, the Humanitarian Country Team launched the HPP on 11 December 2025 to support 658,000 of the most vulnerable people affected by cyclone Ditwah between December 2025 and April 2026.

1.2M Affected people

658K Targeted for assistance

233K Displaced at its peak

114K Damaged houses

291K Reached by HPP

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Cyclone Ditwah has triggered the most extensive flooding and landslide damage in the past two decades in Sri Lanka, impacting approximately 2.2 million people across all 25 districts of the country. According to the Disaster Management Center, the cyclone had, as of 29 December 2025, resulted in 646 fatalities and left 173 people missing. Findings from the Joint Rapid Needs Assessment – Phase II, conducted by the Government in collaboration with humanitarian partners, highlight critical sectoral impact and priorities.

While displacement has declined from peak levels, more than 149, 000 people remain displaced, staying with host families or in other locations, indicating emerging protracted and dispersed displacement patterns.

Safety centres have reduced to 29, hosting over 800 families in Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kegalle Districts. However, with most affected people now living with host families or within communities, supporting vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, has become more complex. In remaining centres, gaps persist in child-friendly spaces, safe spaces for women and girls, mental health and psychosocial support and access to dignity items.

The National Building and Research Institute (NBRI) has issued official guidelines for the resettlement of families whose homes were fully destroyed by floods, landslides, or other disasters, as well as those identified as living in high-risk landslide zones due to Cyclone Ditwah. The NDRSC has published the resettlement and evacuation lists. The NBRI remains under-resourced, and the UN has developed a joint proposal for essential capacities for advanced drone-based hazard mapping, on-site engineering inspections, and ready-to-use slope stabilization designs to accelerate land clearance and enable safe reconstruction.

The Ministry of Defence, Disaster Management Division has issued three new circulars consolidating all previous government compensation programmes. The criteria, transfer values, eligibility requirements, related instructions, and ongoing distribution efforts remain unchanged. Minor amendments have been made to expand access for disadvantaged populations, especially in relation to housing and resettlement.

Following damage from Cyclone Ditwah, the Cabinet recently approved relief for replanting crops, including grants of up to Rs. 500,000 per hectare for tea, Rs. 400,000 per hectare for rubber, and Rs. 750,000 per hectare for coconut, alongside support for affected field crops, fruits, vegetables, and minor export crops.

Global supply chain disruptions and rising fuel and energy prices, driven by the Middle East conflict, risk placing pressure on Sri Lanka’s economy and household welfare, including for those still recovering from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Authorities have introduced a series of measures to manage fuel reserves while maintaining essential services. A prolonged conflict in the Middle East could deepen several interconnected risk factors for already vulnerable populations, through increased cost for fuel, cooking gas and basic commodities as well as disruptions to earnings and livelihoods, including from tourism and remittances. There are also risks to food security, particularly if fertilizer costs remain high and transport becomes more expensive. The HCT is monitoring the situation and will prepare measures including prioritization of activities and advocacy for access to fuel for implementing partners.

Sri Lanka is currently experiencing prolonged and intensifying heat conditions, with authorities warning that high temperatures will persist until at least mid-May 2026. Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district. The impact of this heat wave has a direct impact on the ongoing relief and recovery efforts of the districts affected by Cyclone Ditwah due to the increased potential for power-cuts, reduced water availability for drinking, hygiene, and sanitation in camps, increased risk of waterborne diseases and poor hygiene conditions. Meanwhile, water shortages may affect food security and nutrition through reduced agriculture output.

A Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) to estimate damages, losses, and short- and long-term recovery needs, based on the build back better principle, has been undertaken by the Government with support from the UN, the European Union, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. The findings are currently being validated and finalized, and the full report, including details on damage, losses, and recovery needs, as well as the recovery strategy, are expected to be released shortly.